By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
Colonel Crawford’s last Board of Education meeting before the new school year was dominated by news of building projects and updates.
The middle and elementary schools were buzzing with children and parents turning in paperwork and receiving some final orientation before the school year kicks off. The administration kicked off its night of business by doing a tour of the grounds and building inspection.
Superintendent Todd Martin walked the administration through the parts of the buildings that will be experiencing the upcoming changes. The construction of the new high school wing is projected to begin in the spring, and Martin highlighted which parts of the old building will remain in use going forward.
The administrative central office will be placed in the old building outside what was the entrance to the high school gymnasium. A classroom and storage unit are being refitted to house the superintendent and treasurer’s offices, and contain a meeting/conference room. Martin stated that the timeline for the move in to this office is for the end of the upcoming school year. The superintendent and treasurer will need to be moved in by then to continue administrative functions throughout the summer. This will be the only administrative presence not located in the new building. If everything goes according to plan, the 2015-16 school year will commence in the new building.
During the regular meeting, the board approved resolutions to award bids for the abatement of Sulphur Springs and Whetstone Elementary buildings, and the North Robinson Intermediate building. Cardinal Environmental Services won the bids for abatement of the two elementary buildings, at $210,230 for Sulphur Springs and $224,750 for Whetstone. $490,000 and $428,000 had been budgeted, respectively. The bid for the intermediate building, which was awarded to the Environmental Demolition Group for $318,800, was also significantly under the budget of $611,000. The district is set to get back its 69 percent share of any budget savings, with the other 31 percent share going back to the State of Ohio.
This abatement work is for the safe removal of the asbestos of these buildings. Demolition work will begin once this abatement work as concluded. Bids for the demolition are in but have not been awarded. The abatements will begin Sept. 2.
The board heard a presentation from Dave Smith of Brewer-Garrett about a possible Energy Project. Smith outlined how his firm could enact a series of changes that would allow the district to save in excess of $200,000 over 15 years. The project would entail such things as upgrading the boilers to equipment that is more efficient and will last longer, more efficient lighting, and the application of a Web-based computer system to govern the school’s energy systems. This system would allow for off-site managing of turning lights off and on, turning on the heating system earlier than normal in preparation for an exceptionally cold day, and alerts to any potential emergencies.
The cost of the project would be about $829,753. Smith added that, if the project were to proceed, when terms are agreed between the company and the school that the price is guaranteed. What is signed to in the contract can never go up. With annual savings of approximately $75,000, it would take 10-11 years to pay off with no financing, and about 15 years to pay off if financed (at an estimated rate of 4.25-percent interest). Smith’s quote for the project included a savings of $238,842 over the life of the project.